Have You Ever Dissed Another Woman's Looks?

In a recent Hello magazine interview, former Dynasty star Joan Collins was quoted as saying, "[There] aren't that many good looking actresses around today. I mean, there''s Angelina Jolie and there's...Angelina Jolie. Jennifer Aniston is cute, but I wouldn't call her beautiful. She's no Ava [Gardner] or Lana [Turner]." Ouch.

Collins now says she was misquoted—and that she in fact commented on the hotness of several actresses (Catherine Zeta-Jones, Scarlett Johansson, and Megan Fox, for starters), and was not simply comparing the attractiveness of Jolie and Aniston (who, as you might have heard, have some history together). Still, we couldn't help but notice that even after her verbal addendum, Aniston is still the only actress Collins called cute, but not beautiful, in print.

"Cute" isn't quite an insult and we're sure Collins didn't see critiquing a movie star's appearance (in her mind, one of his or her key assets) as a big deal at the time. (She now says she'll never make a comment about another actress again!) But all too often non-famous women make casual and catty remarks about other non-famous women's looks. And sometimes, they get caught. Sound familiar?

Howard Rubenstein, president of the public relations firm Rubenstein Associates, once gave Allure advice on the best way to deliver any apology. Here's how to implement one if needed:

Don't just spit it out. If you're caught in the act, a hastily delivered "Oops, sorry!" isn't going cut it. Take a minute to process what you've done and how the other person feels. Then choose your words carefully, so that you'll sound sorry for your blunder. (You should also feel sorry for it, btw!)

Keep it short and sweet. Rubenstein says to always avoid the phrase, "I'm sorry you feel that way," which puts the blame on the other person. "Stick to a simple "I'm sorry I did X," or "I'm sorry, I know I hurt your feelings when I did Y," he says.

Take your punishment. Once you've apologized, you're not finished. If this person "is very close to you, they'll be more hurt, and you might have to spend a little more time seeking forgiveness," says Rubenstein. You don't have to keep repeating your apology or make excuses, but be prepared to get an earful or to carefully read through their long, angry response email. Your friend may respect you more for hearing them out.